Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure and a circuit using the same
AssigneeAtmel Corporation
InventorsStefan Schwantes, Michael Graf, Volker Dudek, Gayle W. Miller, Jr., Irwin Rathbun, Peter Grombach, Manfred Klaussner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure is disclosed. The ESD protection structure includes an active device. The active device includes a plurality of drains. Each of the drains has a contact row and at least one body contact row. The at least one body contact row is located on the active device in a manner to reduce the amount of voltage required for triggering the ESD protection structure.
Claims9
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure comprising:
- an LDNMOS device, including a plurality of drains, each of the drains having a contact rows and at least one body contact row, and a plurality of resistors coupled to the body contact row, for reducing a voltage desired for triggering the ESD protection structure, a plurality of diodes coupled to the LDNMOS device;
- and a resistor coupled to the LDNMOS device, where the LDNMOS device operates as an active clamp.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a circuit for providing a function;
- and
- an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure integrated with and coupled to the circuit;
- the ESD protection structure comprising an LDNMOS device that includes a plurality of drains, each of the drains having a plurality of contact rows and at least one body contact row, and a plurality of resistors coupled to the body contact row, for reducing a voltage desired for triggering the ESD protection structure, a plurality of diodes coupled to the LDNMOS device;
- and a resistor coupled to the LDNMOS device;
- wherein the LDNMOS device operates as an active clamp.
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device comprising:
- an LDNMOS device;
- the LDNMOS device comprising a plurality of source contact rows, a plurality of gates abutting the source contact rows;
- a plurality of drains, each of the drains being located between the plurality of gates;
- each of the drains including a plurality of drain contact rows, and at least one body contact row sandwiched between two source contact rows, and a plurality of resistors coupled to the at least one body contact row for reducing a voltage required for triggering the ESD protection device structure;
- a plurality of diodes coupled to the LDNMOS device;
- and
- a resistor coupled to the LDNMOS device;
- wherein the LDNMOS device operates as an active clamp.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.